Foam dispensing attachment for scrubbing machines



Jan. 29, 1963 R. G. MGKEEGAN FOAM DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR SCRUBBINGMACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1961 FIG. 2

IN VEN TOR. RICHARD G. Mr: KEEGAN H IS ATTORNEY.

Jan. 29, 1963 R. G. MCKEEGAN 3,075,540

FOAM DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR SCRUBBING MACHINES Filed May 22, 1961 sSheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

[11/ IIYIHJL/l/l/ IN VEN TOR. RICHARD 6. Mc KE-EGAN H IS ATTORNEY.

R. G. M KEEGAN Jan. 29, 1963 FOAM DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR SCRUBBINGMACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 22, 1961 FIG.

INVENTOR. RICHARD (3. Mc KEEGAN HIS ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,975,540 FOAM DHSPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR SCRUBBINGMACHINE Richard G. MeKeegan, 1214 S. Bronson Ave, Los Angelcs, Calif.Filed May 22, 1961, Ser. No. 111,871 Claims. (Cl. 137312) This inventionrelates to rug cleaning machines and relates more particularly to anapparatus for attachment to such machines which will provide means forgenerating a foam and also for controlling the consistency of the foam.

Overwe-tting is considered one of the most burdensome problemsencountered in the field of carpet shampooing and the elimination ofsaid overwetting is accomplished by delivering an air saturated foaminstead of liquid to the scrubbing member. The apparatus of the presentinvention utilizes a foam generating device of the type disclosed in mypatent, Number 2,960,710 and provides a compact unit for attachment tostandard type shampooing devices with rotary fountain brushes or otherscrubbing devices.

The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus togenerate a foam to be delivered to the scrubbing member in place ofliquid and further to enable the operator to vary the consistency of thefoam at will and also to visually determine the condition of the foamduring operation of the shampooing machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby cleaningsolutions which generally are considered to be difficult to convert intoa foamy condition are nevertheless readily utilized.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the complete apparatus as attached toa rug cleaning machine.

FIG. 2 shows the housing of the apparatus of FIG. 1, this view being abroken vertical section taken substantially on the plane of line 22 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but on substantially the plane ofline 33 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a broken top plan view of the housing of FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the control unit.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the control unit.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, a housing 10 forms anenclosure for a foam generator 11, the housing being mounted, by meansof a bracket 12, on the handle 13 of a conventional floor shampooingmachine including a rotary brush 15, a brush housing 16 and a motor 17for driving the brush. A control unit 20 is mounted adjacent the upperend of the handle by means of brackets 21. This control unit supportsand receives a liquid supply line 22 and an air supply line 23. Afterpassing through the control unit the liquid and air are fed to thehousing by conduits 24 and 25, respectively.

A partition 26 extends from the front to the rear walls of the housingand another partition 27 extends from wall 26 to the right side wall 30when viewed in FIG. 3. Partitions 26 and 27 divide the righthand side ofthe housing into a liquid separator chamber 33 in which the dischargeoutlet of the foam generator 11 is positioned and a foam passage 35having an outlet 36 at its lower end to which is connected a flexibleconduit 37 leading to the brush housing 16. The upper edge 31 ofpartition 27 extends upwardly to a point spaced from upper wall 32 ofthe housing forming a raised opening from the liquid separator chamber33 to the foam passage 35.

Conduits for the cleaning liquid and air, 24 and respectively, areconnected with the lower wall of the foam generator which has a screeneddischarge outlet 40 on ice top. Introduction of the cleaning liquid andair into the foam generator in controlled amounts causes the foam to begenerated therein and it flows out of the top of the generator. Sealingplate 41 extends around the foam generator and extends between thelatter and the adjoining walls to form the bottom of the liquidseparator chamber 33.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the foam rises in chamber33, pushes over the top of partition 31 and descends through passage 35and into the conduit 37 to the rotary brush. Partition 31 is sometimesreferred to as a weir in the sense that it presents a dam in the wall ofa compartment adapted to be overflown by material in the compartment insuch a manner that the fact and approximate rate of overflow areobservable and, to 'a limited degree, subject to estimate as to suchrate. A liquid receiver basin 42 formed by partition 26 and lefthandouter wall 43 is provided with a generally horizontal intermediate shelf44 which slopes slightly downwardly to a drain opening 45. This drainopening is normally open and for the purpose of closing it whennecessary a bushing 46 having a conical opening 50 at its lower end isconnected with opening 45 and the drain is arranged to be closed by aclosure plug 51 supported at one end of a rod 52. A shield 53 is securedintermediate the ends of the rod and a plate 54 is secured at the upperend of the rod. This plate engages a coiled compression spring'55 Whoseupper end engages the upper wall of a spring enclosure 56 held by aU-shaped bracket 60 secured to the front wall of housing 10. A cable 61is secured at its lower end to the upper end of rod 52 and passesthrough an opening in the upper wall of the spring enclosure 56.

A substantially U-shaped trap comprising a foam flow restriction has oneend 62 connected to the lower party of liquid separator chamber 33 andits other end 63 con-,

nected with basin 42 which has an open-to-view portion at its upper endso that liquid passed through the trap is within the view of theoperator.

The cleaning liquid and air mixture which enters foam generator 11 inmanually controlled amounts produces the foam mixture which emerges fromthe foam generator into the liquid separator chamber, passes overpartition 27, into passage 35 and thence to the brush head. Liquid asdistinguished from the foam will at times be present in the mass andthis liquid, being heavier than the foam will accumulate in the liquidseparator chamber 33 above plate 41. The inlet of the trap from thischamber is located just above this plate and accordingly the liquidfills the trap and passes out through the trap onto sloping horizontalshelf 44 of the basin 42, through drain 45 and into lower chamber 64.The liquid in the trap prevents foam, under a slight pressure, frombeing forced through the trap. i

When necessary the accumulated liquid in chamber 64 may be removed to aremote receptacle, without interrupting the work process, through drainpipe 66 which extends substantially to the bottom of chamber 64. Todrain this liquid, plug 51 is first moved upwardly by drawing on cable61 to close the drain and air under pressure is introduced into chamber64 through pipe 70.

The control unit 2i! will now be described. The parts are mounted on abase and include a plate 71 hinged at '72 and when this plate is held inthe down position of FIG. 6 by means of a releasable latch 73 pivoted ina bracket 74, normally closed push button valves 79 and se underlyingsaid plate are open. These push button valves are in the line of flow ofconduits 22 and 23. In this position the liquid and air pass through theflexible conduits to the system. When the plate is in the up positionunder the influence of a spring (not shown) the valves are closed. Aliquid metering valve 75 and an air metering valve 76 adjustthe flow ofliquid and air when the lines are open. Conduits 24 and 25 are connectedto the outlet ends of valves 75 -76. 'Ihe conduits are mounted on thebase by means of brackets 77.

A T fitting 8i} connects air supply lineZfi-withpipe 70 through a th irdpush button valve 81 and when this valve is depressed air passes intochamber. 64- through'pipe 7i andthe liquid in the chamber returnsthrough pipe 66 tea liquid reservoir (not shown).

Cable 61 is connected with a pivoted arm 84 arranged to be latched by11mm member 85;

' The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Plate 71 is retaineddown by latch 73, thus opening liquid and air lines to the system, themeteringvalves 7576 are given their initial adjustment and foam from thegenerator starts to flow. 'Ifhe rug shampooing operation may then start.Liquiddischangin-gfrom the trap into basin 42 is within view of theoperator and iftoo much liquid news into the basin the liquid supplyisreduced. The consistency of the toam issuing from the brush'head andthe quantity, if any, of-liquid passing through the trap 1indicateswliether'the liquid air ratio is proper. If no liquid passesthereby the consistency is either justrightor is too dry. Whether or notthe latteris-the case can be determined by examining the foam it issuesfrom the'brush. Iii-the foam is too dry the liquid supplyis increased.-The foregoing arrangementemploys conduit '66- to return the eXcessliquid-irom chamber- 64 backto a liquid receptacle. This excess may;ofcourse, be

directed-to 'a waste line.

While there. havebeen describedherein what: are at:

present considered preferred embodiments of the invention, it willbeobvious to: those skilled in the ant that many modifications andchanges may beur nadetherein without departing cfrom' the essence'o-f the invention; It

is therefore to 'be understood that .the exemplaryg.embodi ments areillustrative and-not restrictive of the invention,

range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be included therein.

What I claim is:

l. Foam supplying mechanism for use with a rug cleaning machine forsupplying foam of the proper degree of wetness theretoco-rnpri-sing: afoam. generator; a liquid separator chamber sowdisposed ancl arranged asto receive foam from the generator, said liquid separator chamber havinga lower region in which excess liquid gathers whifi h may have beenentrained in the foam gen erated by the foam generator, and an openingabove said lower region, said opening adapted to discharge foam to themachine for use in cleaning operations; a basin; a trap interconnectingsaid lower region to the basin; and means for permittingobservation ofthe mate of flow of liquid tothe basin, whereby the presence ofexcessive liquid inthe foarn is detectable by a said observation, andwhereby foam-without eigcessive Liquid flows through the opening. i

2. A-foam supplying mechanism according to claim 1 in which the openingcomprises a weir, and inwhichthe trap is an upright U-shapedconduit.

3; foani supplying mechani-sm according to claim 2 in which the meansfor permitting observation comprises anopening above the basin.

4. A foam supplying mechanism according to claim 3 in whichareceptaclechamber is connected to ,the basin qr e a id m h asin- .duit,Ineansinterconpects the basin and the regeptacle clhamber, andjnwhichvalve-means is incorpo-H rated; in i said conduit. for controllingliquid flow therebrsuehr lietere ccs .Qi t nth fi e Q r i Pat nt; UNITEDSTATES PATEN S.

233M 45 Erickson Novr 23, 1943 supplying mechanism according to claim 4McKeegan Nov. 22,. 1960,

1. FOAM SUPPLYING MECHANISM FOR USE WITH A RUG CLEANING MACHING FORSUPPLYING FOAM OF THE PROPER DEGREE OF WETNESS THERETO COMPRISING: AFOAM GENERATOR; A LIQUID SEPARATOR CHAMBER SO DISPOSED AND ARRANGED ASTO RECEIVE FOAM FROM THE GENERATOR, SAID LIQUID SEPARATOR CHAMBER HAVINGA LOWER REGION IN WHICH EXCESS LIQUID GATHERS WHICH MAY HAVE BEENENTRAINED IN THE FOAM GENERATED BY THE FOAM GENERATOR, AND AN OPENINGABOVE SAID LOWER REGION, SAID OPENING ADAPTED TO DISCHARGE FOAM TO THEMACHINE FOR USE IN CLEANING OPERATIONS; A BASIN; A TRAP INTERCONNECTINGSAID LOWER REGION TO THE BASIN; AND MEANS FOR PERMITTING OBSERVATION OFTHE RATE OF FLOW OF LIQUID TO THE BASIN, WHEREBY THE PRESENCE OFEXCESSIVE LIQUID IN THE FOAM IS DETECTABLE BY A SAID OBSERVATION, ANDWHEREBY FOAM WITHOUT EXCESSIVE LIQUID FLOWS THROUGH THE OPENING.